Cllr Margaret Bird and Clrr Chris Wright attended the Friends of Farthing Downs AGM last evening. Inspiring talk from Sue Ireland Director of Open Spaces at the Corporation of London on the varied sites they maintain including Farthing Downs, Coulsdon Common, Kenley Common and Riddlesdown locally.

New members are always welcome email fofd2@btinternet.com.

More details on walks organised by the Friends of farthing Downs can be found at http://www.friendsoffarthingdowns.co.uk/

The Safer Neighbourhood Police surgery venue has changed and will now be held in the Heath Room, Congregational Church every Wednesday 12-1pm.

Entrance is via Canon's Hill, please ring bell if door locked,,

New Council reporting smartphone app lanched12/07/2018 17:55:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

Don’t Mess with Croydon smartphone app launches

A new smartphone app designed to make it easier to report fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles, graffiti and more has been launched by Croydon Council.

The Don’t Mess with Croydon app is a quick way of reporting problems directly to the right team in the council to get them fixed.

Reporting an issue is as simple as selecting the most appropriate option from one of 17 categories and dropping a pin on a map with the option to attach a photo if the user wants.

The new app is built from the Love Clean Streets app which was created by a Croydon company and is used by local authorities across the country.The Don’t Mess with Croydon app makes it easier to report this directly to the right team so we can get the problem fixed as quickly as possible.The app is free to download and you can help make Croydon cleaner and greener for everyone to enjoy.Users can select one of 17 categories:

A reminder that Steve and Margaret hold their surgery on the last Saturday of the month (excl. August and December ) from 10-12noon at the Guide Hut Tudor Parade Coulsdon Rd ( behind the bakers).

We will also be at the Rotary Fair on Grange Park on July 7th 12noon - 4.30pm stand C8. Come and say hello.

Not convenient ? Just drop us an email margaret.bird@croydon.gov.uk or steve.hollands@croydon.gov.uk or give us a call . We are happy to come to you .

Message from the Safer Neighbourhood Team30/06/2018 21:51:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

Dear Ward Member,

Courier FraudThe MPS would like to remind everyone that the police and banks will never ask members of the public to partake in an anti-fraud operation, to transfer money or ask for bank account and pin numbers.Be wary of any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from the police asking for your personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money.

The fraudsters contact people, usually by phone and claim to be from the police or in some cases a fraud team within that person’s bank.In some cases the fraudster will ask the victim to give them their bank card and pin or go to the bank and withdraw money which they will then collect.The fraudster will then visit the victim’s home address and collect the money or bank cards, normally quoting a password that they agreed with the victim earlier on.

Protect yourself from fraud and cyber crimeDo not give any personal information (name, address, bank details, email or phone number) to organisations or people before verifying their credentials.

Many frauds start with a phishing email.Remember that banks and financial institutions will not send you an email asking you to click on a link and confirm your bank details.Do not trust such emails, even if they look genuine.You can always call your bank using the phone number on a genuine piece of correspondence, website (typed directly into the address bar) or the phone book to check if you’re not sure.

Have you been a victim of fraud or cyber crimeIf there is a crime being committed right now or if you are in danger you should call the police on 999.

If you fall victim to this type of fraud or receive suspicious calls, please contact police or report it via action fraud: https://www.actionfraud.police.uk/, or by calling them on 0300 123 2040.

If debit or credit cards, online banking or cheques are involved, you should also contact your bank or credit card company as soon as possible.

Press Release from Croydon Council on new waste collection roll out29/06/2018 21:23:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

Today Croydon Council issued the following press release at the start of their new bin deliveries ahead of the start of the new collection in September.

New bin deliveries begin ahead of recycling drive

The delivery of more than 200,000 new bins across Croydon begins on Monday in an effort to boost recycling rates in the borough.

Most residents will receive a new 240-litre paper recycling bin and a 180-litre general waste bin over the coming weeks with the first set to arrive on Monday. Existing landfill bins will become a bin for mixed recycling.

Deliveries will be made to around 3,500 properties each day.

The first collections for the new service will be in September. Until then residents should continue to use their existing waste containers in the same manner as they previously have.

Across the borough 75% of households will have their collection day changed to make the service more efficient.

Councillor Stuart Collins, cabinet member for clean, green Croydon, said: “We want to drive recycling rates up to over 50% across the borough.

“The new bins you will see arriving over the next few weeks will help make it easier to recycle more and help us help the planet.

“This will be a significant change for most people and there will be a series of roadshows to help explain the changes.”

The changes will see most households given a new 240-litre bin for mixed paper and card, a new 180-litre bin for general waste and the existing bin repurposed for recycling glass, plastic packaging, cans and cartons.

Alternative arrangements will be made for households who cannot accommodate the new bins.

A dedicated email address and phone line has been set up to answer residents’ queries. Anyone with questions should contact wasteservices@croydon.gov.uk or phone 0208 604 7282 between 9am and 5pm on week days.

A leaflet explaining the changes will be delivered alongside the bins. Bin collections will remain at the current frequency but more than 75% of households will have a new collection day.

For more information on the new collections visit the council website.

Margaret and Steve hold monthly surgeries in the Guide Hut behind the bakers on Tudor Parade, Coulsdon Rd , Old Coulsdon on the last Saturday in the month from 10-12noon, except August and December .

On July 7th we also will be at the Rotary Fair on Grange Park 12noon - 4.30 pm on stand C8 next to the CLOCFG - Christmas Lights in Old Coulsdon- stall.

Why not drop by and say hello?

We will be happy to help with any issues you are having difficulty resolving with the Council.

Council Election 04/05/2018 22:19:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

Margaret and Steve wish to thank the residents of Old Coulsdon for electing them to represent Old Coulsdon for the next four years. Despite our groups best efforts Croydon remains Labour controlled but we will always work to represent the residents of Old Coulsdon interests first.

LibDems in Old Coulsdon are scaring residents into signing a survey that our Safer Neighbourhood Police are being withdrawn. This is FAKE NEWS PC's Chris and Rob and PCSO Andy are very much working hard for Old Coulsdon and are not being withdrawn as claimed. Margaret as Chair of the Coulsdon East and West Safer Neighbourhood Panel works closely with all the four PC's and one PCSO across both wards and has been assured this is not genuine.

Litter Pick24/03/2018 18:19:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

Cllr Margaret Bird joined Cllr Chris Wright and many local residents for a litter pick in the Bird Sanctuary in The Glade.

Although this is a closed area we found many beer cans, bottles, a Christmas tree, plastic, food cartons, laughing gas canisters, cigarette packets and general rubbish which had been tossed over the fence. Most was found on the corner which joins Keston Avenue so Cllr. Bird has asked the Council to provide a bin on the corner to help save the wildlife from harm and to hopefully persuade those intent in not taking their rubbish home with them to be tidy.

20mph12/03/2018 13:06:00.......Posted by Margaret Bird

This Labour Councils Borough wide 20mph speed limit is now live in Old Coulsdon with the exception of Marlpit Lane and Coulsdon Road in our area.

It is very easy to forget which speed limit applies on the roads you are actually on with many of the new signs buried in trees and bushes and even 30mph and 20mph displayed on the same post.

Please do contact us with any issues or concerns you may have. We answer all our constituents' correspondence and value your comments. If you want your concern addressed by your local team, please follow the link above.